Priceless Moments of the week: Madrid's maximum, Copenhagen joy and starlets shine
Friday, December 15, 2023
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Joselu, Lukas Lerager, Arthur Cabral and two 17-year-olds take centre stage in our Mastercard Priceless Moments of the week for Matchday 6.
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Check out the achievements, underdog stories, late drama and rising stars that defined this week's UEFA Champions League games with the Mastercard Priceless Moments of the week for Matchday 6.
Madrid get full marks in Berlin
Having left it until the 89th minute to secure their winner at Union Berlin, Real Madrid matched their own feat of 2011/12 and 2014/15 by taking a maximum haul of 18 points from this season's group stage. Player of the Match after scoring two of Los Blancos' goals in the 3-2 victory on Tuesday, Joselu said: "It was always my dream to wear the Real Madrid shirt and play for this club, so to get the Player of the Match award in this competition is special. To win all six group games doesn't happen that often."
Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen
Few gave Copenhagen much chance of surviving the winter when they were drawn against Bayern, Manchester United and Galatasaray in Group A, but they secured second place in the section and passage to the round of 16 with a 1-0 win at home against the Turkish champions, Lukas Lerager scoring the 58th-minute winner (before being dismissed late on). "In the Champions League, Copenhagen are a small club, but we have given a huge performance in this group stage," said midfielder Rasmus Falk. Coach Jacob Neestrup added: "No one can say that this is just a second place. It's a secure second place. We have – without doubt – been the second-best team over six games in this group."
Eagles dare in Salzburg
Needing a win by a two-goal margin to overhaul their hosts Salzburg in third place in Group D, Benfica showed a sense of drama, scoring to make it 3-1 two minutes into added time in Austria and earning a transfer to the Europa League. Having led 2-0 at half-time, Benfica conceded a Luka Sučić goal after the break but never lost hope, Arthur Cabral's first-ever Champions League goal taking them through. "We believed until the end and scored in a fantastic attacking moment," said coach Roger Schmidt, who was previously in charge at Salzburg. "We fought for the fans and we always believed," added keeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Zaïre-Emery comes of age
You have to go back to 2004/05 for the last time Paris Saint-Germain failed to come through the Champions League group stage, but they were sailing close to the wind on Wednesday when trailing at Dortmund. Their saviour proved to be teenage prodigy Warren Zaïre-Emery, the 17-year-old scoring his first goal in the competition in the 56th minute to seal the 1-1 draw they needed to progress and become the youngest ever French goalscorer in the Champions League. "I try to get as far forward as possible and at the same time do my bit in defence," said the Player of the Match. "Today, I was lucky that the ball came to me."
Antwerp create history with prize win
Five defeats from five with Barcelona next up – the odds were certainly stacked against Antwerp in their hunt for a maiden group victory. What followed was drama from start to finish. Arthur Vermeeren's opener after 76 seconds – the fastest goal in the Champions League so far this season – set the tone and the hosts were not deterred by the Catalan giants equalising twice, 17-year-old George Ilenikhena surging through to give Mark van Bommel's men a last-gasp 3-2 win. "This was an amazing Bosuil evening with our fans. The stadium exploded," said the coach as Antwerp became the first Belgian team to beat Barcelona in a UEFA club competition since 1989.